Transfer valve for container-treating machines



Sept. 12, 1939. J. H. GORDON. JR 2,172,375

TRANSFER VALVE FOR CONTAINER-TREATING MACHINES Filed Dec. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l LIL; 74 65 Sept. 12, 1939. J. H. GORDON. JR

TRANSFER VALVE FOR CONTAINERTREATING MACHINES Filed Dec. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Slaget 2 7 A'ITORNEYJ Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE TRANSFER VALVE FOR. CONTAINER- TREATING MACHINES Application December 30, 1937, Serial No. 182,583

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a container or can treating machine and has particular reference to an improved rotating can carrier Valve mounting disposed adjacent a vacuum chamber or a pressure chamber of such a machine.

The present invention is particularly adapted to the mounting of a cylindrical valve which engages a valve seat of corresponding shape and which maintains a seal for the vacuum or pressure chamber. Provision is made for maintaining this proper seal between the engaged surfaces at all times while allowing for expansion of the valve as it becomes frictionally heated with use. This prevents binding of the valve in its seat and V is a selfcontained, automatic, floating and compensating feature.

An object therefore of the invention is the provision in a can treating machine of a mounting for a valve of this character which is fully floating and which embodies positive adjusting means .for properly locating the valve in its seat and also yielding means for holding the located valve in proper sealing engagement within its seat.

Another object is the provision of a valve mounting of this character wherein the floating valve is rotated on and retained in place by a non-rotating shaft which is free to rock in the proper direction to permit full seating of the valve in its seat.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a valve and its associated parts illustrating an embodiment of the instant invention, the mounting elements of the valve being shown relative to the casing of a chamber, with parts broken away;

7 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of certain of the valve rotating members, the members being shown in separated position relative to each other so as to illustrate more clearly certain details of their construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the parts of the valve mounting; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken substantially along the respective lines 4-4, 55 in Fig. 1.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings disclose a cylindrical valve I I (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) having spaced can carrier pockets l2 which are adapted to receive cans l3. The valve is located adjacent a chamber 15 which is enclosed .by a casing It having an opening I! through which the cans 13 are introduced into or withdrawn from the chamber. Chamber i5 may be either a pressure chamber or a vacuum chamher. The valve is disposed in a valve seat I8 pro- 5 vided in a semi-circular projecting wall section is formed on the casing l6 adjacent the can opening ll.

The valve ii is rotated within its seat I8 to bring entering cans l3 adjacent the casing open- 10 ing it or to deliver treated cans 53 from the chamber by way of the opening. For this purpose the valve is provided with a ring 2| which is secured to the bottom of the valve and which is formed with a pair of diametrically opposed grooves 22 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) into which fit a pair of diametrically opposed tongues or lugs 23 formed on top of a valve driving plate 24. The driving plate 24 is also provided with a pair of diametrically opposed depending lugs 25 which 20 are formed on the bottom of the plate. These lugs are disposed at right angles to the upper lugs 23 and fit into grooves 26 formed in a driving gear 28. This tongue and groove connection permits slight horizontal shifting of the valve relative 25 to its seat It? while being rotated therein.

Driving gear 28 is mounted on ball bearings 29 carried on a hub 35 which extends up through a hole 32 in a projecting lower bracket portion 33 of the chamber casing !6. A flange 35v formed 30 on the hub is secured to the bracket and thus holds the hub in place. Gear 28 is rotated by a driving pinion 38 which is keyed to the upper end of a vertical drive shaft 39 carried in a bearing 4| formed in the bracket portion 33 of the cham 35.

her casing it. The drive shaft is rotated by any suitable means operating in time with the other moving parts of the treating machine.

When the rotating valve ll brings a can !3 into alignment with the opening I! in the chamber 40' casing It, the aligned can is pushed out of its valve pocket i 2 by a discharge finger 45, one finger being located within each pocket of the valve. Each finger is secured to a vertical pin 46 carried in a suitable bearing formed in the valve. 45. Finger Q5 is actuated by an arm 41 which is secured to the upper end of each pin 66. Each arm carries a cam roller :18 which operates in a cam groove 49 formed in a stationary cam 5i mounted above the valve ll. upper bracket portion 52 which projects outwardly from the chamber casing 16.

The rotating valve ii is floatingly mounted in its seat l8 so that it may automatically adjust itself in proper sealing engagement therewith..55.

The cam is secured to an 50 For this purpose the valve is supported on and rotates around a non-rotating, floating shaft 55. The shaft 55 extends up through a clearance bore 56 formed at the center of the valve. Adjacent the lower end of the bore the valve is provided with a bearing retaining seat 51 and a shoulder 58 which carries a self-aligning ball bearing 59 having an outer race BI and an inner race 62. The outer race of the ball bearing is clamped against the shoulder 58 by a collar 63 which is threaded into the bearing retaining seat 51.

The inner race 62 of the ball bearing '59 is mounted on the floating shaft 55 and is held in place against a shoulder 65 on the shaft by a long sleeve 65 which surrounds the shaft. The sleeve is locked in place adjacent its upper end by a collar 61 which is threaded onto a threaded section 68 of the shaft.

The lower end of the floating shaft .55 is provided with a ball section II which operates in a socket 12 formed in the stationary hub 3|. This ball and socket connection constitutes a universal joint at the end of the shaft and thereby permits the shaft to swing in any direction within certain limits. This permits the rotating valve supported on the floating shaft to shift in its seat l8 when required, the self-aligning ball bearing 59 permitting the valve to remain horizontal while shifting so that a proper sealing engagement along the face of the valve will always be maintained with its seat.

Provision is made for adjusting the valve in its seat so that it will not grip the seat as the valve rotates therein. This is effected by a valve adjusting and compensating device 14 which is enclosed in a housing I5 surrounding the upper free end of the floating shaft 55. The housing is mounted on the upper bracket portion 52 of the chamber casing I6. The upper end of the floating shaft extends up through clearance holes provided in the cam 5| and the bracket 52 and terminates in a clearance bore 11 formed in the adjusting housing 15.

The extreme upper end of the floating shaft 55 is guided by a compound cross shaped key 18 (Fig. 3) having lower and upper key sections 8|, 82 disposed at right angles to each other. The lower key section 8| operates in a groove 83 formed in the extreme upper end of the floating shaft. The upper key section 82 operates in a groove 84 disposed at right angles to the groove 83 and formed in a head cap 85 located at the end of the adjusting housing bore 11. The cap is secured to the housing. This construction of support for the upper end of the floating shaft permits movement of the valve I! supported thereon, in opposite directions transversely of its seat.

Shifting movement of the valve ll relative to its seat 18 in one direction is limited by a set screw 81 and locknut 88 which are threadedly disposed in a wall section 89 of the adjusting housmg 15. The inner end of the set screw engages against the upper end of the floating shaft 55 and thereby serves as an adjustable stop against movement of the shaft in this direction. In lo-' cating or resetting the valve in its seat the set screw is adjusted so that the valve will just engage the valve seat without gripping or dragging thereon when rotated. This assures free movement ofthe valve while preventing leakage past the engaging surfaces,

Movement of the shaft in the opposite direction is controlled by a yieldable button 92 which is carried in a bore 93 formed in a wall section 94 of the adjusting housing 15. The inner end of the button engages the upper end of the floating shaft 55 at a fiat section 95 formed in the shaft directly opposite the set screw 81. The button is secured to one end of a long stud 96 slidably supported in a hollow nut 91 threaded into the adjusting housing I5. A compression spring 98 disposed in the nut and surrounding the long stud exerts its pressure against the button and hence against the shaft thereby maintaining the latter in contact with the stop set screw 81.

Thus if there is expansion, due to friction, in the valve parts the spring 98 will yield sufficiently to permit shifting of the valve relative to its seat. The spring is adjusted to the desired amount by manipulation of the nut 91 so that the proper pressure is always applied to the floating shaft 55 so that the valve will always bear against the seat with just sufficient sealing engagement to prevent binding or dragging. 7

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will .be'understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing'from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a rigid valveseat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft supporting said valve and around which the valve is adapted to rotate, a positive stop for limiting inward movement of said valve, and a yielding member opposing said positive stop and yielding away from said valve seat, said positive stop being adapted to locate said valve relative to its seat so thatthe valve will not drag on the seat while rotating, said yieldable member holding said valve in its seat, and compensating for expansion of the valve due to frictional heating.

2. In a machine for treating containers, the combination 'of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said' chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, and devices engaging said shaft for holding said valve in its seat.

3. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, said shaft having a uni versal mounting at one end thereof so that it is free to rock in any direction, and devices engaging-the opposite end of said shaft for yieldably holding said valve in its seat.

4. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, self-aligning means between said valve and said shaft so that the valve is free to move relative to the shaft, said shaft 75 having a universal mounting at one end, and devices engaging the opposite end of said shaft for yieldably holding said valve in its seat, said self-aligning means and said universal joint acting to effect an even and uniform engagement of the valve in its seat.

5. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, devices engaging said shaft for holding said valve in its seat, actuating instrumentalities for rotating said valve, and a flexible connection between said valve and said actuating instrumentalities so that the valve is free to readily shift relative to its seat while rotating.

6. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, and self-aligning means between said valve and said shaft so that the valve is free to move relative to the shaft, said shaft having a universal mounting at one end, said self-aligning means and said universal joint acting to eifect an even and uniform engagement of the valve in its seat.

7. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, actuating instrumentalities for rotating said valve, and a flexible connection between said valve and said actuating instrumentalities so that the rotating valve is free to shift relative to its seat.

8. In a machine for treating containers, the combination of a chamber having an opening therein, a rotating can carrier valve for closing said opening, a valve seat interposed between said chamber and said valve, a non-rotating floating shaft carrying said valve and around which said valve rotates, said shaft having a universal mounting at one end leaving the shaft free to rock in any direction, a positive stop against one side of the opposite end of said shaft, and a yielding member opposing said positive stop, said positive stop being adjustable to prevent dragging of said valve in its seat while rotating, said yielding member holding the valve tightly in its seat and compensating for expansion of the valve due to frictional heating,

JAMES H. GORDON, JR. 

